AHDB- let’s let them know.

[ploughman1963]

No they don't need to for these farmers.

If farmers are so clueless that they cant read a medicine bottle then they should not be farming!

Colleges/ working as an apprentice is where you should be learning skills such as how to use an electric fence/ tell the difference between a store and fat animal etc.

Taking the pee telling professional farmers how to use an electric fence/ read a medicine bottle.

I am sorry - you are wrong! There are many, many people out there farming who do not read medicine bottle labels - they just do what they have always done because Dad or Uncle did it that way. Prime example - someone said the other day that they had heard that Calciject works better if warmed up (whilst administering on a v cold day) - read the label! its there in black and white!

A LOT of farmers have no idea about the benfits of rotational grazing when you talk to them.

Many farmers havent got a clue when it comes to making good quality silage and how to achieve it - many dont understand even the simple steps like avoiding contamination and have little or no appreciation of how much their DM losses are actually costing them.

AHDB are doing a good job of delivering these messages by holding meetings and arranging informative and innovative speakers to try to educate us - problem is getting us thick farmers to attend the meetings! When you attend most of the meetings offered, you see the same people everytime. Most disheartening sight is the young lads who persuade Dad to come to a meeting - only for Dad to put up the shutters and argue for the way he and his dad have always done it, refusing to accept that perhaps there is a better way. Son goes home with tail between his legs probably never to be seen at a meeting again.

Your attitude, if you'll forgive me, reminds me of those 'stuck in the mud' Dads I see at those meetings tellig his son that 'they cant teach me anything'.

 

[neilo]

Any link to this page?

Now that would really wind someone up. Imagine someone accessing that information that didn't even pay levies to AHDB. Even worse, a competitor that was in EU land.

 

[Sid]

Lots of crap deleted, and thread brought back on topic as best it can be,

Some of it did stray but I stand by that no one is 100% totally legal whether it be medicine bottles having by law dosage instructions on the them or hauling straw on a trailer without a breakaway chain

Your attitude, if you'll forgive me, reminds me of those 'stuck in the mud' Dads I see at those meetings tellig his son that 'they cant teach me anything'.

100% agree.
My son is at college and comes back asking questions why we do things a certain way or why we don't do such and such. This year he wants to travel and come back hopefully with more ideas and challenges for the business.

 

[llamedos]

Many farmers havent got a clue when it comes to making good quality silage and how to achieve it - many dont understand even the simple steps like avoiding contamination and have little or no appreciation of how much their DM losses are actually costing them.

Excellent webinair the other night - but even though there were over 200 subscribed - this is a drop in the ocean given the amount of producers.

I have found AHDB very approachable, if there is a producer meeting in other areas of the country on topics you would like to see or hear in your area, it is worth contacting them to ask if they are able to provide one in your area, they do take some time to get set up, correct facilities etc, dependant on topic, but they will bend over backwards to help.

There was a Post Mortem discussion on here and those AHDB meets were quite geographically sparse, many from up this area expressed a wish to attend one, so I contacted them on behalf of North West producers, and hopefully there should be something in the pipeline quite soon.
Similarly, if you request any literature, they are very forthcoming.

 

[Tim W]

I am sorry - you are wrong! There are many, many people out there farming who do not read medicine bottle labels - they just do what they have always done because Dad or Uncle did it that way. Prime example - someone said the other day that they had heard that Calciject works better if warmed up (whilst administering on a v cold day) - read the label! its there in black and white!

A LOT of farmers have no idea about the benfits of rotational grazing when you talk to them.

Many farmers havent got a clue when it comes to making good quality silage and how to achieve it - many dont understand even the simple steps like avoiding contamination and have little or no appreciation of how much their DM losses are actually costing them.

AHDB are doing a good job of delivering these messages by holding meetings and arranging informative and innovative speakers to try to educate us - problem is getting us thick farmers to attend the meetings! When you attend most of the meetings offered, you see the same people everytime. Most disheartening sight is the young lads who persuade Dad to come to a meeting - only for Dad to put up the shutters and argue for the way he and his dad have always done it, refusing to accept that perhaps there is a better way. Son goes home with tail between his legs probably never to be seen at a meeting again.

Your attitude, if you'll forgive me, reminds me of those 'stuck in the mud' Dads I see at those meetings tellig his son that 'they cant teach me anything'.

Exactly right ---there is a thread running in livestock that suggests using formalin in orphan lamb's milk! Whilst that kind of attitude exists it is evident that there is much basic farmer education required (i sometimes think farmer culling would be easier)

 

[gatepost]

You know the vets have to pay to do the vet courses? Costs about £500 in course fees to train, and as much again for travel, accommodation and cover. Then an ongoing cost for £500/year to keep delivering the plan.

We don't pay to go to producer meetings, but generally we go to the ones in our area attended by some of our clients. Both parties get more out of the meeting and is much more likely to make improvements at farm level when you involve the whole team, including the vet. I go to support clients, not for the levy funded coffee and pork pie.

In general terms the quality of the output from the AHDB is good. Most people I speak to are happy and I use the resources all the time with clients. It's amazing how many simple things good farmers can manage to get wrong. The beauty of the AHDB materials is they are pretty free from bias, whereas everything else we have is produced by someone trying to sell something (like feed, medicines, vaccines etc).

I really don't see the AHDB role as a generic advertising agency. Getting good information to the industry, pushing the boundaries through research and then put that into practice. If everyone was doing everything by the book then I'd start listening to some of the arguments.

I had reason to spend some time with AHDB last yr, and to be honest as someone who was fairly sceptical , I was pleasantly surprised by the work they are doing on behalf of meat producers, purchasing trends leading to product development to suite modern eating habits, butchery training etc went on and on, however what ever people say, they come up against out of spec stock and the problem that that causes for the trade in getting and maintaining contracts, as an aside I went on a jolly to see a large free range pig and poultry unit last week, fantastic , not only the professional way in which it was run, but their emphasis on the quality and consistency of product to go with the brand was a lesson in meeting modern day requirements, they saw the end user/public as their customer not the butcher who was just an intermediary, they had '' got it''

 

[Henarar]

Love it - thread on AHDB turns into an argument on Road Laws

And, tediously, it’s the same few contributors as always.

Lots of crap deleted, and thread brought back on topic as best it can be,

Ok ok ok you were right to delete some of the posts on here as completely off topic but if someone posts something that is clearly wrong and I know its wrong I will point that out @llamedos
just saying
now you can delete this if you like

 

[Sid]

Ok- there are numerous threads about the recent direction of the AHDB, and the genuine concern they’re losing their way or maybe not focusing on areas which could help us.

The AHDB are currently applying for a board member- let’s all apply!

https://ahdb.org.uk/vacancies/documents/HortIndependentAHDBboardmemberadverttextdraft2.pdf

They often turn around and say “we want more farmer’s input” so let’s show them a) we’re not happy in the current direction b) we want them to be accountable and offer value for money with our levy.

DISCLAIMER- none of us will get this job!

It’ll go to an ‘established’ name who has years and years experience on boards. Who knows they may be good- however wouldn’t it show the AHDB farmers are serious if they got a thousand farmers applying for it?!

Ps. I’m not anti AHDB. I think it’s a great organisation which could really help my business. However it really frustrates me when they waste £250,000 levy on failed Grain e-passport, spend millions on benchmarking, etc.

This is for the main board not the sector boards?

The main board seems to be made up of sector chairpersons and some independants?

If you want to influence a sector then going for one of those positions would be a better option.

 

[Bury the Trash]

If you're a SW 'Upland' farmer (speak to the NFU first ) then get over to West Point for their 'Beef and Butterflies' conference on the 24th.

 

[Henarar]

I had reason to spend some time with AHDB last yr, and to be honest as someone who was fairly sceptical , I was pleasantly surprised by the work they are doing on behalf of meat producers, purchasing trends leading to product development to suite modern eating habits, butchery training etc went on and on, however what ever people say, they come up against out of spec stock and the problem that that causes for the trade in getting and maintaining contracts, as an aside I went on a jolly to see a large free range pig and poultry unit last week, fantastic , not only the professional way in which it was run, but their emphasis on the quality and consistency of product to go with the brand was a lesson in meeting modern day requirements, they saw the end user/public as their customer not the butcher who was just an intermediary, they had '' got it''

On out of spec stock if they want in spec animals then they should be more incentive to produce them at the moment as GUTH said the out of spec ones pay better at times

 

[gone up the hill]

I am sorry - you are wrong! There are many, many people out there farming who do not read medicine bottle labels - they just do what they have always done because Dad or Uncle did it that way. Prime example - someone said the other day that they had heard that Calciject works better if warmed up (whilst administering on a v cold day) - read the label! its there in black and white!

A LOT of farmers have no idea about the benfits of rotational grazing when you talk to them.

Many farmers havent got a clue when it comes to making good quality silage and how to achieve it - many dont understand even the simple steps like avoiding contamination and have little or no appreciation of how much their DM losses are actually costing them.

AHDB are doing a good job of delivering these messages by holding meetings and arranging informative and innovative speakers to try to educate us - problem is getting us thick farmers to attend the meetings! When you attend most of the meetings offered, you see the same people everytime. Most disheartening sight is the young lads who persuade Dad to come to a meeting - only for Dad to put up the shutters and argue for the way he and his dad have always done it, refusing to accept that perhaps there is a better way. Son goes home with tail between his legs probably never to be seen at a meeting again.

Your attitude, if you'll forgive me, reminds me of those 'stuck in the mud' Dads I see at those meetings tellig his son that 'they cant teach me anything'.

Utter rubbish, if these farmers don't know these things then they shouldn't be farming in their own right or if they need to learn should go back to college, not the job of the AHDB and levy payers like me to teach them.

Im far from stuck in the mud and make changes every year and everyone can learn something new but its not the job of the AHDB to teach basic things like how to read a medicine bottle, that is why people either go to college or work as a trainee on farms to learn the job before they move up the ladder.

 

[gone up the hill]

Any link to this page?

No idea if its online but they spent thousands printing books and posting them to farmers containing this information.

 

[Henarar]

these meetings are useful not everyone knows everything
we go to a fare few and not just ones arranged by the ahdb
we even joined a club but are not allowed to talk about that

 

[gone up the hill]

I had reason to spend some time with AHDB last yr, and to be honest as someone who was fairly sceptical , I was pleasantly surprised by the work they are doing on behalf of meat producers, purchasing trends leading to product development to suite modern eating habits, butchery training etc went on and on, however what ever people say, they come up against out of spec stock and the problem that that causes for the trade in getting and maintaining contracts, as an aside I went on a jolly to see a large free range pig and poultry unit last week, fantastic , not only the professional way in which it was run, but their emphasis on the quality and consistency of product to go with the brand was a lesson in meeting modern day requirements, they saw the end user/public as their customer not the butcher who was just an intermediary, they had '' got it''

Take beef, the AHDB believe that steaks etc/ mini roasts are the way forward and will be the big sellers, trouble is the only beef that is seeing a massive increase in sales is mince yet the AHDB think this sector of sales isn't important.

Market for lamb is changing as frank the wool has stated on TFF many times, basically more lamb is going into the catering sector and they want big heavy animals that are out of spec and not lightweight in spec animals, they pay £20 head more for these heavy weights than lightweights so of course the farmers are going to produce them if the market wants these animals and is prepared to pay for it yet the AHDB think we shouldn't we doing this aka responding to what the market requires.

Ref Fri steers, most of them are out of spec but there is no a massive demand for them for mince, what should farmers do? not rear these animals because they are not in spec to what the AHDB think beef animals should be even thou the market signals are that every Fri steer is wanted.

Most customers ie the end user as you put it have no idea that there is even a quango like the AHDB or the work they do in respect meal ideas etc etc, the AHDB say people know about the work they do but the truth is like the RT, they believe their own spin when it comes to how popular they are with the general public.

Changes are needed.

 

[Henarar]

Take beef, the AHDB believe that steaks etc/ mini roasts are the way forward and will be the big sellers, trouble is the only beef that is seeing a massive increase in sales is mince yet the AHDB think this sector of sales isn't important.

Or look at it another way if mince is selling well anyway does it need promoting ?
after all the whole animal has to be sold, yes it can all be minced but how much is that per KG ?
not very much would you like to take the money they would offer you for your animals if they were going to mince the lot ?


this is half the problem only part of the animal is wanted, the customers need to be educated about how to cook some of it, I wonder how many folk buy front end joints they are missing out because as well as being cheaper they are better IMHO but they most likely haven't got a clue what to do with them

 

[gatepost]

Take beef, the AHDB believe that steaks etc/ mini roasts are the way forward and will be the big sellers, trouble is the only beef that is seeing a massive increase in sales is mince yet the AHDB think this sector of sales isn't important.

Market for lamb is changing as frank the wool has stated on TFF many times, basically more lamb is going into the catering sector and they want big heavy animals that are out of spec and not lightweight in spec animals, they pay £20 head more for these heavy weights than lightweights so of course the farmers are going to produce them if the market wants these animals and is prepared to pay for it yet the AHDB think we shouldn't we doing this aka responding to what the market requires.

Ref Fri steers, most of them are out of spec but there is no a massive demand for them for mince, what should farmers do? not rear these animals because they are not in spec to what the AHDB think beef animals should be even thou the market signals are that every Fri steer is wanted.

Most customers ie the end user as you put it have no idea that there is even a quango like the AHDB or the work they do in respect meal ideas etc etc, the AHDB say people know about the work they do but the truth is like the RT, they believe their own spin when it comes to how popular they are with the general public.

Changes are needed.

I'm not sure why it matters if the general public know if there is such a thing as AHDB. I suppose it all comes down to whether producers see the drop of the hammer as job done or as the plate goes into the dishwasher.

 

[Sid]

Take beef, the AHDB believe that steaks etc/ mini roasts are the way forward and will be the big sellers, trouble is the only beef that is seeing a massive increase in sales is mince yet the AHDB think this sector of sales isn't important.

Steak is the higher priced cuts. Yet you want them to promote the cheaper mince?
So what are you going to do with the steaks etc mince them?

 

[Sid]

massive increase in sales is mince

but there is no a massive demand for them for mince

WTF
Your talking mince again

Come on the @Henarar defend these two statements

 

[Henarar]

Steak is the higher priced cuts. Yet you want them to promote the cheaper mince?
So what are you going to do with the steaks etc mince them?

sounds like the race to the bottom
mince the f**king lot and make it in to burgers
FFS

 

[Rossymons]

Wish we could mince GUTH...